And the trifecta is now complete. 48 hours after Falcons running back Bijan Robinson reset the market with his 3 year deal, Jonathan Taylor inked 2 year, $44M extension of his own. Now, Adam Schefter is reporting that Detroit Lions star Jahmyr Gibbs has signed a 3 year, $67.5M extension which could be worth up to $75.75M if all incentives are reached.
The deal will reportedly feature $51.5M in guaranteed money and will make him the NFL’s new highest paid running back.
The 24-year-old has averaged 1,745 scrimmage yards and 17 total touchdowns per 17 games played since joining the league as the 12th overall pick in 2023. He’s earned 3x trips to the Pro Bowl during that span, and will now look to take on a leading role in the Lions backfield now that his “hold in” is officially over.
This offseason, former Lions running back David Montgomery joined the Houston Texans, paving the way for a clear workhorse role for Gibbs in 2026. While Detroit did add Isiah Pacheco as a depth piece, this fall figures to be Gibbs true coming out party where he’ll be the unquestioned starter for the Lions.
By inking his new deal, the 23 year old is now the league’s 4th running back who will earn an average of $20M per season or more, joining Taylor, Robinson, and Saquon Barkley.
Gibbs has been as advertised since coming out of Alabama. One area in particular he’s continued to improve in is his involvement in the passing game. The former Crimson Tide standout has increased his receiving total each season since joining the league going from 316 yards in 2023, to 517 in 2024, and finally 616 yards in 2025.
That trend should continue this fall as Detroit prepares to kick off their season on September 13th against the New Orleans Saints.
Photo: Michael Barera. This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International license.